Labuan Bajo, Flores & Komodo 🤩

Busy & 😁 times...
We arrived at Pasar Wajo late, with just enough light to navigate through a multitude of FADs and moored fishing boats 😲. We engaged local contact Andi to help with provisioning tasks, who was so amazing, in 1 day we managed to sort market shopping, 2 x180ltr fuel runs & be ready to leave 🌞 up.
A day/night/day passage to arrive @ an Atoll in Taka Bonerate National Park. As a big blow was forcast, we ran for protection the next morning... this ended up being a challenging & long day. Our beloved Starlink chose this day, when we alone, in the middle of unmapped atolls & reefs, to intermittently work which = on/off access to satellite imagery 😱.
Weary but thankfull, we ⚓️ @ Tanahjampa Island, tucked in behind a ⛰️ Blowing for 3 days, we had time for boat jobs, enjoying RnR, 🛵 explore (village, farms & shrimp) & the lovely company of SV Skybird crew. Unfortunately, due to strong winds🌬, we didn't get to see the Bugis boat builders (famous craftsmen of Pinisi Schooners) at work on nearby Bonerate 🏝,...on To Do List for next time.
Weatherman gave 👍 so we pushed south, leaving in arvo, night ⛵️ with stunningly Milkyway 🌟 & meteor shower, arriving safely @ Flores with enough light to navigate the 🤯 traffic of Labuan Bajo harbour, gateway to Komodo national park.
We are definitely not in remote Indo anymore... Pinisi tourist boats in the 100s, peakhour in the water all hrs, full of other foreigners & our meal out went from $10 to $100 😲.
After 2 busy days & refilled with the essentials.. ⛽️ 🍺 & 🥬🥬🥬🥬🥬 (1st lettuce in 4 months), we enter Komodo with our expectations tempered (not fans of "touristy") to be 😲 at its vast, rugged beauty & its wildlife, in & out of the water.
Travelling always with the tide, which is BOSS & sometimes in Pinisi peakhour, we managed to find tucked away 💎 anchorages, secluded ⛱️ & special one on one moments with the wildlife. Our highlights... snorkelling with 5 feeding mantas, a speedy drift dive through a coral/fish wonderland & hunting for Komodo 🐲 with local dude...& a big stick.
Feeling totally 🙌 & super chilled from our Komodo time, we decided to catch the wind out...yep, I said wind (finally, our sails are up & full), so onto Sumbawa we go.

Bit of info about Pinisi building... https://indonesia.travel/cn/en/explore-indonesi…Read more